Tuesday, 18 July 2017

On three separate occasions in three separate mini supermarkets in London I've mentioned to the person serving me that the high pitched, intermittent "pink" chirruping beep was their smoke detector's battery announcing its demise. Two of the people looked at me blankly (one couldn't even pick it out from the surrounding noise) and the third person told me it always made that sound and that it was the sound of a normally-functioning fire alarm - I mean really! I think next time I might be a bit more persistent.

I'm sure different kinds of smoke alarms emit different kinds of sonic death announcements but here's the one I'm most familiar with. Wouldn't it be great if the British Standards document for smoke alarm beeps kept them the same. Perhaps it does. I hope everyone knows what a failing smoke detector sounds like, it's basically an important warning. I hope everyone has a smoke detector...

Whenever I've changed the battery on a detector it's always made a
terrific din and beeps for a bit before settling down, perhaps those
beeps are to cue me in to what it sounds like - it worked for me but not
the people in the shops.

My mum once rang me when Dad was away asking if I knew what had started beeping overnight and disturbing her sleep. I think she may have ended up holding the phone near to where the sound was coming from (she didn't know it was the smoke alarm and wasn't sure of the source's exact location) and eventually we worked out what it was and she was able to change the battery.

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I've just taken the bus home from Westcombe Park station and waited for
the 108 bus going upwards back to the heath. While standing at Bus Stop B I heard the unmistakeable sound, coming from the
houses behind me, of a failing smoke alarm. The lights were off and it
was late (and no fire!) so I didn't start knocking on doors but I hope someone works
out what the problem is.

Westcombe Park station is a lot less welcoming than Blackheath station, particularly as two
of the street lights are out - not great when it's quite a steep hill
and uneven pavement, anyway...

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